George schmitt



(N Model.)

G. SGHMITT.

EXTENSION TABLE.

No. 859,817. Patented Mar. 22, 1887.

ATTORNEYS.

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UNITED STATES PATnNT @rrrca GEORGE SCHMITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 359,817, dated March 22, 1837.

Application filed September 15, 1886. Serial No. 223,601. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE SoHMrrT, ofihe city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Extension-Table, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to extension or folding tables adapted for use at the'side walls of railway'cars, boats, or other passenger-carrying vehicles, and applicable also for use at the side walls of rooms or at the sides of house or office furniture, such as bureaus or dressing-cases or cabinets or desks and the like; and the invention has for its object to provide a simple, inexpensive, and substantial table, by using which space will be very largely economized and the comfort and convenience of the public will be promoted.

The invention consists in certain novel featu res of construction and combinations of parts of the table, all as hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional elevation of the body of a railway-car having my improved extension-tables fitted at its opposite sides, the table at one side being extended for use and the table at the other side being folded, as when out of use; and Fig. 2 is a detail view of parts of one side of the car, partly broken away and in section, the better to illustrate the construction and arra ngemcnt of the table.

My improved extension or folding table is designed to fold partly against and partly within a hollow side wall or division of a railway-car, a room, a desk, or other article of furniture. The drawings represent tables fitted at the sides of a railway-car, and I will particularly describe the invention as so applied to use.

The side wall, A, of the car-body next the floor is madehollow, to provide an inner space or chamber, a, which opens into the car at its top at a, and at the top of this space a is journaled a roller, B, over which the flexible part C of the table-top passes, said flexible portion of the table-top consisting of slats c, glued or otherwise secured to a flexible backing, c,

which may be strips of canvas, leather, or other suitable fabric.

The outer portion of the table comprises a shelf, D, which is fixed to an ornamental leg, E, and at the angle between the shelf and leg ornamental brackets F F are fixed, to brace the shelf firmly in horizontal position, and between the brackets a pull-ring,f, or it may be a knob, is provided on the leg for drawing the table out fully into position for use, as at the left-hand side of Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The table-leg E is provided with a roller or caster-wheel, G, and also with a couple of downwardly-projecting pins, H H, which do not touch the floor I of the car when the leg is supported by the roller G; but when the table is fully drawn out or extended and the roller G enters a notch or recess, made in the floor to receive it, the pins H H then will drop into holes h 71, also made in the floor to receive them, and the table will then have substantial support at its outer end by the resting of the bottom of the leg E on the floor, While the entrance of the roller and the pins H into their sockets will prevent lateral or sidewise movement of the table, which thus will beheld steadily, no matter how the railway-car, boat, or other vehicle in which the table is fitted may be swayed when in motion, or how the table-leg may be pressed edgewise or flatwise by persons sitting at the table.

To the face a? of the hollow wall A isjournaled suitably on a vertical axis a bracket, J, on which is fitted a spring, K, which is held at one end to the wall and at the other end to the bracket, and acts normally, when the table is drawn outward or extended, to automatically swing'the bracket outward beneath the top of the table, as shown at the left hand in Fig. l of the drawings, and as the table is pushed in or folded thebracket will be folded flat and in between the table-leg E and the wall A as the flexible top 0 of the table runs back over the roller 13 and passes downward within the space a in the hollow wall A, as at the right-hand side in Fig. l of the drawings. The slat c at the inner or free end of the table will be made a little longer than the other slats of the table-top, or will be provided with pins orstuds to form end stops, c", to prevent the table-top being drawn entirely from the too month or opening a of the chamber or space a of the wall A, as will be understood more clearly from Fig. 2 of the drawings.

It will be noticed that when the table is folded the flexible top 0 and the bracket J are concealed from. view, and the shelf D may then be utilized for holding glasses, books, papers, wraps, hats, vases, fancy articles, or brie-abrac, as occasion may require.

I show the face of the table-leg E provided with panels 6 and with ornamental edge finish; but it is obvious that any cheap or expensive, plain or ornamental, finish may be given to the table as the position and requirements of its use may suggest.

I am aware that an extension-tablc has before been made with a movable leg and a flexible top connected at one end with said leg, and at its other end with a roller journaled to another leg or support, and around which roller the flexible top was wound as the table was folded; but my improvement is not to be confounded with such construction, as the inner end of the flexible top of my table has no permanent connection with its horizontal support,

over which it freely passes, and from which it hangs when the table is folded.

I would also state that the use of a roller for a horizontal support or guide to the flexible top of my table is not essential, as a fixed bara mechanical equivalent of the rollermay be provided for the top to run over; but the roller lessens the friction, and therefore is preferable, as will readily be understood.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Lctters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in an extension or folding table, of aleg or outer support, a flexible top connected thereto, and a guide held to a wall-support, and over which guide the flexible top passcs,and from which it hangs loosely or freely when the table is folded, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination,in an extension or folding table, of a leg or outer support, a flexible top connected thereto, a guide held to a wallsupport, and over which guide the flexibletop passes, and from which it hangs loosely or freely when the table isfolded, and stops, as c, on the flexible top, preventing its withdrawal, substantially as shown and described.

3. The combination,iu an extension or folding table, of a leg, a flexible top connected thereto, and a roller journaled to a wall-support, and over which roller the flexible top passes, and from which it hangs looselylor freely when the table is folded, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

4:. The combination,in an extension or folding table, of a leg provided with a caster-,-

wheel, a, flexible top connected tothe leg, a

horizontal support or roller over which the flexible top passes, and from which it hangs when the table is folded, and the floor-support for the leg, provided with a socket to receive the caster-wheel, substantially as de;

'ing table, of a leg, as at E, provided with a caster-wheel, G, and pins H, said wheel G nor mally supporting the leg, with the pins H 3' clear of the floor, a flexible top connected to the leg, a horizontal support or roller over which the flexible top passes and from which it hangs when the table is folded,and the floorsupport provided with sockets g h, to receive the wheel and pins G H, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

7. The combination, in anextension or folding table, of a leg, E, a top connected to the leg and comprising a shelf, D, and a flexible portion, 0, and a horizontal. support or roller, 13, over which the part 0 of the table passes and from which it hangs loosely or freely when x the table is folded,substantially as shown and described.

8. The combination, in an extension or folding table, of a leg, a flexible top connected thereto, a horizontal support or roller over which the flexible top passes and from which it hangs when the tableis folded,and a spring actuated bracket, as at J, pivoted to the tablesupport and adapted to open automaticallyas the table is extended for use, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE SCH MITT.

Vitnesses:

HENRY L. GooDwiN, G. Snnewicx. 

